Various types of devices have been used as a limb hemorrhage trauma simulator over the years. See for example, U.S. Patent Application Publication US 2009/0011394 to Meglan et al., which is generally limited to human limbs, and mentions that light emitting diodes (LEDs) can be used but they are restricted to turning on particular LEDS or adjusting the intensity of the LEDS. However, this simulator disclosed has limitations and problems.
This simulator requires that each limb be separately attached to an external computer device that includes an external simulator, a controller, a display, and the like that appear to be a desktop computer and large display screen. Additionally, this simulator does not describe controlling the flashing rate of the LEDS to cover different amounts of blood loss. Additionally, this simulator has no description for monitoring a body torso. Furthermore, this simulator does not allow for each limb to have its own stand alone simulator and controller and display built directly into the limb, so that the limb parts can be separately used at the same time.
The Institute for Simulation and Training (IST) at the University of Central Florida and CHI Systems, Inc. which includes the main inventors and assignee for the subject invention disclosed a simulation trainer between 2006 and 2009 with a haptic model having realistic visual and tactile feedback. However, this demonstrated simulator was limited in use and applications.
The IST/CHI Systems simulator was generally restricted to a single arm limb, with some LED output similar to the Meglan et al. publication, and a customized PDA (personal digital assistant) device having limited remote control capability that required preprogrammed software limited to controls for a single arm limb.
Other types of training devices have been disclosed over the years, but also have similar limitations. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,852,893 issued to Smrcka on Dec. 10, 1974 that describes a limb for a first aid training dummy molded of an integral skin foam shaped to define a simulated wound with a flexible plastic tube for supplying simulated blood. Aligned with the tube is a simulated bone which permits pressure to be applied to the wound or the tube to block the flow of simulated blood; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,638,073 issued to Kazimirov et al. on October 283, 2003 that discloses a model of a human being that includes a head unit, a neck unit, a trunk unit with upper and lower extremities connected together so as to be capable of movement. The training device also includes video simulators for the internal organs of a human being and traumas to the internal organs with the simulators connected to a computer.
These systems also focused on understanding the internal organs and practice on a dummy rather than training users to provide life saving procedures in the field prior to being transported to a medical facility. It is not enough to simply have a device in which to practice (especially if such practice is performed incorrectly). Leveraging an entire training system includes devices as well as software to drive the training process.
Thus, the need exists for solutions to the above problems with the prior art for training users to perform life saving triage in the field.